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TODAY'S GLIMPSE OF LAGUNA
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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CALIFORNIA AIMS TO FULLY REOPEN ON JUNE 15
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As California surpasses a major milestone in the fight against COVID — administering more than 20 million vaccine doses, including 4 million in the state’s hardest-hit communities, and with hospitalizations continuing to steadily decline — Governor Gavin Newsom today outlined the state’s next step in the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, moving beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
On June 15, California will fully open its economy if two criteria are met:
- If vaccine supply is sufficient for Californians 16 years and older who wish to be inoculated; and
- If hospitalization rates are stable and low
Everyday activities will be allowed and businesses can open with common-sense risk reduction measures, including encouraging all Californians to get vaccinated and mandating masking, to prevent illness and promote health. The state will continue contact tracing and testing to detect cases early and contain spread of the virus. The entire state will move into this new phase as a whole. The state will monitor hospitalization rates, vaccine access and vaccine efficacy against variants, with the option to revisit the June 15 date if needed.
When California fully reopens the economy, the Blueprint for a Safer Economy will end. However, common-sense health measures such as masking will remain across the state. Testing or vaccination verification requirements will remain in relevant settings.
For more information on the state’s move beyond the Blueprint, click here. |
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COVID-19 Relief and Assistance for Small Business
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| The Controller’s Office has compiled the following resources from various agencies to help you navigate available COVID-related aid. For additional program information, please visit the agency’s website or contact your local government. The Controller’s Office will update these resources as more program information becomes available. Click here for more information. |
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SBA to Open Shuttered Venue Operators Grants for Applications on April 8 at 12 p.m. EDT
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The U.S. Small Business Administration will officially open the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal April 8, 2021 at 12 p.m. EDT for operators of live venues, live performing arts organizations, museums and movie theatres, as well as live venue promoters, theatrical producers and talent representatives to apply for critical economic relief, as those eligible entities are some of the first that had to shutter their doors a year ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SVOG program was appropriated more than $16.2 billion for grants via the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act and the American Rescue Plan Act. Of these funds, at least $2 billion is reserved for eligible SVOG applications with up to 50 full-time employees. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue up to a maximum amount of $10 million for a single grant.
The SBA is accepting SVOG applications on a first-in, first-out basis and allocating applicants to respective priority periods as it receives applications. The first 14 days of SVOG awards, which are expected to begin in late April, will be dedicated to entities that suffered a 90% or greater revenue loss between April and December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second 14 days (days 15-28) will include entities that suffered a 70% or greater revenue loss between April and December 2020. Following those periods, SVOG awards will include entities that suffered a 25% or greater revenue loss between one quarter of 2019 and the corresponding quarter of 2020.
SBA’s resource partners, including SCORE Mentors, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers, are available to provide entities with individual guidance on their applications. Applicants can find a local resource partner via SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/local-assistance or via a zip code at www.sba.gov/localassistance.
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Coast Highway Construction Update
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The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is scheduled to replace the 100-year-old box culvert under Coast Highway at Main Beach this spring.
Beginning April 1, daytime construction work on the project will begin. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction on Coast Highway at Main Beach for the duration of the project. Caltrans crews will be working double shifts as needed to finish by Memorial Day. Adjacent businesses will be open during construction.
Downtown traffic control will be provided by the City of Laguna Beach and Caltrans 7 days/week to help mitigate traffic impacts due to the long-term lane closures needed to complete the work safely and quickly.
For questions regarding the project, please contact Caltrans at (657) 328-6000 or email Darcy Birden at darcy.birden@dot.ca.gov.
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City of Laguna Beach COVID-19 Business Assistance Services - Update on the PPP for Sole Proprietors/Self Employed
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For anyone still applying to the Paycheck Protection Program Round 2 (PPP2), the White House has directed the SBA to allow Sole Proprietors/Self-Employed to calculate their PPP loans using Gross Revenue.
What Has Changed?
- Originally, Self-Employed could only use Net Profit/Loss (Line 31 of your Schedule C) to calculate owner’s “salary”. This punished entrepreneurs who operated at a loss or a slim margin in 2019.
- You can now use your Gross Revenue to calculate the owner's portion of the PPP calculation
- This applies to all who file a Schedule C (Form 1040): Sole Proprietors with or without employees, 1099 Independent Contractors, Self-Employed, etc.
How Do I Take Advantage of This?
- If you thought you were'nt eligible for PPP because of your Net Profit/Loss, you may be eligible now!
- IMPORTANT: Lenders are changing their website applications to these new rules. Check your lender's application daily to see if they have made the change yet. Do not complete and submit your PPP application if they ask for your Line 31. Otherwise you will receive the smaller Net Revenue amount.
- Wednesday, March 31st is the deadline for your lender to submit to the SBA. You will want to submit your application several days before then, as lenders have long lines of PPP applicants.
- If you are having any difficulty with a lender's application, you may choose another. Click HERE to see a short list of lenders we know do not require you be a preexisting customer to apply (pages 1 & 2).
But I Already Received PPP Funds With Only Net Revenue. Can I Expand My Loan?
- The SBA has ruled that they will not allow you to expand your PPP loan if you have already received it.
- Several small business and community organizations are voicing their outrage on this SBA ruling. We encourage you to contact your U.S. Representative and your City staff to make them aware of this punishing of businesses who applied early.
For your convenience, please click on the following links to access our guide to the PPP2 as well as the three (3) other major COVID-19 relief programs available to you:
- SBA Paycheck Protection Program Round 2 (PPP2) – CLOSES MAR. 31
- California Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – ONGOING – Unemployment to those not usually eligible for unemployment
- SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) – ONGOING – Non-forgivable loan of low interest working capital
- CA IBank California Rebuilding Fund (CRF) – ONGOING – Non-forgivable loan of low interest working capital
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Round 6 of the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Opens April 28th - May 4th
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Round 6, the final round, of the www.CAReliefGrant.com opens Wednesday, April 28th at 9:00 AM and closes Tuesday, May 4th at 5:00 PM.
Selection notifications will begin Friday, May 7th.
Eligible applicants include current Waitlisted small businesses and/or nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, 3, or 5 AND new applicants that meet eligibility criteria. The eligible grant award is $5,000 to $25,000.
Applicants who were NOT selected to receive a grant and were Waitlisted in Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 5 do not need to re-apply; the application will automatically be moved into Round 6.
Learn more by visiting www.CAReliefGrant.com |
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Wishing you a happy New Year!
I'm writing to you from my desk in the Capitol, where I am pushing hard for urgent action to address major hurdles related to vaccine supply, funding and staffing. I'd like to share a few updates:
PRE-REGISTER TO GET A VACCINE
You can now sign-up for Orange County's official vaccine app. Once you are registered, you will receive updates, be alerted when it's your turn, and be able to make a vaccine appointment. You can learn more about vaccine distribution plans on the County website. |
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We have partnered with the City of Laguna Beach and Visit Laguna Beach as we believe it is extremely important to encourage all Laguna Beach businesses to operate within the State guidelines and follow the appropriate safety protocols. These safety measures not only slow the spread of COVID-19, they also give residents and visitors a renewed confidence to patronize your business.
We are calling on YOU to partner with us in our effort to protect our community by taking the CLEAN.SAFE.READY. pledge. This pledge demonstrates your business’ commitment to placing a priority on the health, safety, and well-being of your employees, customers, visitors, and residents. Please use this link to sign the pledge showing your commitment to our community. |
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The Laguna Beach Chamber has compiled a useful list of restaurants and retail shops throughout the city with updated information as we enter our new normal. We encourage you all to support these businesses during this difficult time.
Think Laguna First also has information about WHY it is so important to Support Local. We will be updating our website daily, so keep checking in for new info!
We encourage business owners to continue emailing us and tagging us on social media with your promotions. We can only promote the information we have, so be sure to let us know what you've got going on!
Instagram: @ThinkLaguna1st
Facebook: Think Laguna First
E-mail: ashley@lagunabeachchamber.org
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Remember, if you don't support your chamber, your chamber cannot support you!
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Are you hiring? As a Laguna BeachChamber Member, you have the opportunity to display job postings on our website for our community to search.
Looking for a job? View our postings by clicking here. You can always locate this under the 'Resources' tab on our website.
Login to the Member Information Center to post open positions, or email us and we will create the posting for you!
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Are you a Chamber member and have an event coming up or a special offer to promote? Let us know!
Do you have gorgeous Laguna Beach photos you would like featured in our new weekly "GLIMPSE OF LAGUNA"?
Contact Sarah Wade, our Events & Marketing Manager, at sarah@lagunabeachchamber.org to promote your event or offer across our platforms.
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Be sure that you receive important updates and resources as we navigate this pandemic together. Traditional Chamber benefits are adapting as our businesses are pivoting their business models. Our Chamber staff is here to support you, and to help you market your business, as well as network with the Laguna Beach community!
View Member Benefits & Join Today!
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THANK YOU TO OUR ANNUAL INVESTORS
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